Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

In what was a blatantly racist and sexist move, tennis umpire Carlos Ramos unfairly penalized Serena Williams in an abhorrent display of male dominance and discrimination. This would not have happened if Serena Williams was a man. She would have been cheered and chided for “gamesmanship.” Male tennis stars are reminding us that they have “done much worse” and have not been penalized.

Ramos claimed he was just following the rules, but in actuality, men stretch the rules all the time and are lionized for being “bad boys” while women are benched. This is also a prime example of how racism and sexism are two of the biggest obstacles that Black women in America face.

NOW is calling on the U.S. Tennis Association to cancel any contracts with Carlos Ramos to umpire tournaments in the future. It’s clear that Ramos abused his authority. This racist, sexist behavior needs to stop.

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org, 202-628-8669